Every now and then, a story comes along that’s just too charming not to share. I always think that handmade items carry little sparks of the maker’s memories in their seams - and in the case of my new Miniature Mouse Keepsakes, that’s quite literally true.
When Margaret from Ditsy Designs first showed me her new collection of handcrafted mice, I was instantly enchanted. Each mouse had a hobby, and a look of joyful mischief stitched into its whiskery little face. Then they got names too. But it wasn’t until she told me how they came to be that I really fell in love.
With Margaret’s permission, I’d love to share the backstory with you here - in her own words.
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OLD GREEN MOUSE
By Margaret of Ditsy Designs
My first attempt at toy making was from a magazine pattern, circa 1974. It was a small mouse, three inches tall, with moveable limbs and large ears.As money was tight, it was made from recycled dark green fabric I happened to have to hand. My children adored them and carried them everywhere.The first mouse casualty was left at the allotment. Although we searched, a dark green toy, three inches tall, was impossible to find in a weed-green field.Last year, I came across the tattered remnants of the second mouse and decided to try and recreate it. The pattern was long gone, of course, so I dismantled what was left and improvised templates.It has evolved gradually, with plenty of trial and error, into the Miniature Keepsake Mouse we sell today - twice as large, in all sorts of colours, with names and hobbies of their own.The new Old Green Mouse has arrived. - Miniature Mouse Keepsakes
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Isn’t that just the loveliest thing? I knew when Margaret told me this that the Miniature Mice weren’t just adorable - they were little vessels of memory, hand-stitched with meaning.
Each one is one of a kind,never to be repeated and each has its own tiny spirit and hobby - knitting, gardening, painting, baking and even golfing. The two latest are the baking and the golfing mice. (to be listed very soon). They are a total scream. So cute with their very cleverly devised equipment. The golfing bag with mini handmade golf clubs and the cute mixing bowl complete with batter and a wooden spoon. They even have boleros and the baker has an apron. Who knows what next?
Meanwhile, the original miniature mouse keepsakes went off for a mini make over. You might be able to guess what's different with them. Hit reply and take a guess!
These mice are not toys, but keepsakes - perfect as a gift for someone creative or retiring, or simply as a little friend for your studio, your potting shed, your knitting nook, or your desk. They’re approximately six inches tall, with moveable arms and legs at the shoulders and hips, so you can sit them or prop them up as you like.
They’re available in very limited numbers, and each one is a tiny tribute to joy, to creativity, and to the comforting thread that runs from our past into the present.
👉 Browse the Miniature Mouse Keepsake Collection here.
And keep an eye out—there could be more little characters scampering along soon.
Until next time,
Amanda
